Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
“It makes you a man. A man who listened to his heart and his Goddess.”
“I held my protector bond more sacred than my mate bond for fuck sakes, Terran.”
“This may sound callous, Talon, but a protector bond is a Goddess given bond. One that is a complete connection and that hasn’t been seen since the very beginning of our species and it’s very first accord with the others. You had a very weak partial mate bond with Shavon. One so weak that all of us were surprised you agreed to it. We have been watching over you since you hatched, and your entire life, all you spoke of was your true mate. The complete bond.”
“I wasn’t going to pursue it, at the beginning. I felt it. The bond, that is. You know we have to step forward, and she recognized me. I figured I had to at least talk to her, and I am so very glad I did. She was my light. That first night was awkward and adorable and the very best day of my long life. She made every day an adventure.”
Mac landed and shifted back before he turned to the two men. “Well, your light is gone.” Talon roared at Mac and charged before anyone could blink. “Talon, TALON.” Mac held him back with two arms.
Terran ran over to where they were locked and grabbed Talon’s arms. “He means literally, Talon. Her body is missing. That is why I was out here. I was going to tell you she was missing.”
“What? Where did she go?”
“We don’t know, but we’ll find out.” River finally joined them out front. “Talon, see if you can have Air reach out to Zeph, or call him yourself. We are going to need all of us.” River pulled Mac and Terran away. “Did you see anything?”
“There were tracks out in the forest. Araiya was dragged from her cabin to a wagon. The tracks disappear into the mist.” Terran watched Talon sit and reach out to his element. “He’s stronger than we thought. He’s upset, but his mate’s death didn’t break him.” His voice was a soft murmur to the others.
“I followed the blood from the cabin to the forest. Only Shavon’s scent was there, but there were two sets of tracks. Either the two were carrying her and supressing their own scent, or she walked out of here with a man who was hiding his scent.”
“She died Mac, I felt her heart stop. Something isn’t adding up.”
“Nothing is adding up anymore, River.” Mac shook his head, right before he dropped.
“Scream for me, Araiya.” Donal struck her back again with the whip, but she focused on Korine’s sneer and kept silent. Footsteps sounded behind her chained form and Araiya shuddered as he leaned over her and whispered in her ear. “You think that you are holding it together, but you’re not. Keeping quiet will only make me angry. Keeping quiet will only prolong this first session.” Donal licked her cheek, making her almost vomit. “I taste your fear. Sing for me and this will be over, for today.”
He walked away as Araiya closed her eyes, the reality of her situation sinking in fully. She was bare from the waist up, chained to an archway cut into what she could only assume was some red stone native to Fire. She was helpless, in a black sand desert that went on forever.
Araiya was helpless, but so was Korine. The two sisters who had absolutely hated each other were now dependant on each other to get out of this situation. They would live or die together. That was their only option. Araiya kept her lips sealed when she opened her eyes and refocused back on Korine. The woman who she had grown to despise caught her stare and although the sneer never moved from her face, Araiya caught the small nod.
She swore she could hear Korine’s voice. That’s it, Rai. Use the hate. Focus on me. You can make it. I have you.
“Since the normal whip won’t make you scream, we will have to move on to bigger and better things,” Donal called back to Araiya, and she tensed.
That was a mistake.
The sound of the crack hit her ears before the inferno struck her back. She felt the barbs tear into her skin and the blood start to pour out of her instantly. She gritted her teeth and waited for the next blow to fall.
Every crack of the whip was followed by another lick of fire. She held on as long as she was able, but she broke. She held on longer than anyone thought she would, but eventually she couldn’t hold back, and she screamed. She screamed and screamed until she no longer had a voice and the pool of blood had started to trickle off the ledge that separated her little torture area and the seating area below, where everyone else with them watched and waited.
One last crack whispered through the air. That wasn’t right. Whips don’t whisper. She waited and waited for the fire, for the cut, but she didn’t feel anything. Korine was waving. Not her hand but her whole body was waving, and she was grey. Araiya finally realized something was wrong, right before darkness took her.
Araiya lay crumpled on the sandy floor. The darkened tent was her only solace now that she was no longer chained to the arch. She slowly tried to push herself up and she fell back. The pain that radiated from her back was excruciating.
She decided to stay where she was. No point in moving. She stared off toward the front of the tent, near the door, and saw the water pitcher. “Korine.” She coughed to clear her dry throat and tried again. “Korine?”
Araiya tried to push herself to a seated position, screaming the entire way. Blood slowly trickled down her back and started to pool underneath her again. “Hello? Anyone?”
Araiya couldn’t hear anything. Not the usual night sounds in the desert, not the hustle and bustle of a camp readying itself for war. For war was coming. She called out again and again into the darkness. No answer was heard.
Araiya curled back on herself and lay in the darkness, counting her breaths and trying to understand what kind of new torture this was supposed to be.
As she counted her hundredth breath, she heard someone enter the tent. They made their way closer and closer to where she was hidden in the darkness. “Hello,” she called out again. No reason to hide, she was already broken.
“Who is there?”
That voice-she knew that voice. “Talon?” Her heart picked up its pace. Was she saved? Were they here to get her out? “Talon? Is that you?”
“Araiya? Where are you?” A light flickered and there, just at the edge of the light, there he was.
“You came to find me, to free me?” Her hope was thick in her voice as she struggled to get closer to him. Araiya knew exactly when he spotted her back. His sharp intake was clear enough that the damage was probably worse than she could actually feel. Most of her back had become numb. Like the whip had peeled away the top of her skin, and the ability to feel with it.
“Last thing I remember was going to sleep, so no, I am not here. Not really.” Araiya stopped her struggled crawling and fell into a heap.
“No.” Araiya shuddered. “Please.” She looked up at her best friend.
“Where are you? Why did you leave? Why didn’t you stay with Shavon?” Talon screamed. “Why didn’t you listen?”